As LNG and mining falter, the B.C. government appears to be paying more attention to the province’s tech and creative sectors.
But beneath the veneer of photo-ops and press releases, the new strategies look rather thin, say critics.
In mid-January the province unveiled its first-ever tech sector strategy, which included $100 million in a venture capital fund and $4.5 million over five years for skills upgrades for tech workers.
The province also committed to introduce computer coding as part of the K-12 curriculum, but will not be providing any additional funding for the initiative.
On February 4 the government announced a creative economy strategy, consisting of $1.5 million over three years to support shared creative spaces and $300,000 to encourage businesses to sponsor arts events.
“The creative economy takes in technology, media, television, film,” said Matt Toner, deputy leader of the BC Green Party and CEO of media company Zeroes to Heroes.
“They’re talking about arts funding here … It all sounds very hastily assembled.”
According to numbers provided by the province, the creative sector (defined by the province as arts, culture, sports and heritage) employs 88,000 people in B.C., compared with the 86,000 employed in the tech sector.
Employment in B.C.'s tech, arts and culture and mining oil and gas sectors | B.C. Government, Statistics Canada, BC Stats
Norman Armour, the artistic and executive director of Vancouver’s PuSh Performing Arts Festival, said he welcomed the province’s support for the arts.
“I like to think that the days of having to argue whether it’s a part of the economy are over,” he said. “What we’re now talking about is what ways is it part of the economy.”
Creative BC, an umbrella organization for film, television, publishing and music — but not the performing arts — is working with the Sauder School of Business on its own creative economy strategy. Creative BC was created and is funded by the province.
Toner said he is also working on a creative economy strategy for the Green Party.
“The timing [of today’s announcement] is interesting when we hear about the problems in the LNG sector,” he said, referring to Shell’s decision to postpone its final investment decision in a proposed LNG plant in Kitimat.
LNG prospects, which the province once hoped would provide 100,000 new jobs, have dimmed as major oil and gas companies like Shell and Petronas have cut costs in response to the plunging price of oil. But following a meeting in Ottawa with her federal counterpart this week, Jobs Minister Shirley Bond indicated: “we will continue efforts to develop and attract skilled labour to British Columbia's emerging energy export industry, which has the potential to generate billions of dollars of investment [and] create thousands of jobs.”
Mining is also suffering from the downturn in commodities. At a mining conference last week, Premier Christy Clark committed to allow B.C. mines to defer their electricity bills.
- with files from Tyler Orton
@jenstden
